Electric railway



(No ModeL) 'Y 2Shets'-Sheet 1-. W C GOSS ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented Mar. 29, 1892.

WWESS ES A411! -2 Sheets-Sheet 2* No Model.) Y W. C. GOSS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented Mar. 29, 1892.

ln-1MM llNrrnD STATES PATENT FFICE.V

WILLIAM C. GOSS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,543, dated March 29, 1892.

Application filed April 3, 1891. Serial No.,SS'7,4=6'7. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 11i/ty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. Goss, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric railways; and it consists, mainly, in improvements relating to the housi n g,wl1ereby is inclosed theelectric supply-conductor and the combination thereof with the rail-beds and supply-conductor.

It also pertains to means whereby two or more supply-conductors are bridged relative to each other and insulated from each other at the point of crossing, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view representing a section of electric railway constructed in accordance with and embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of two intersecting railways embodying this invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective sectional view representing the mechanism whereby two electric supplyconductors are bridged. Fig. 4 is asectional view, enlarged,`representing the supply-conductor-supporting bracket. Fig. 5 is a side View of the trolley-supporting mechanism. Fig.r6 is a section on line G 6 of Fig. 5.

The electric supply-conductor A is supported in an inclosing housing, Fig. l. Said housing is formed of a bottom B, side walls C C, and a= cover or cap of'two parts E E. The side walls C C are formed of wood and rest upon the bottom B, which to that end has suitable iianges @opposed to thelower edge face of theside walls and also with flanges e opposed to the inner side faces of the side walls, so as to support the bottom of said side walls against movement inwardly. Saidbottom B is preferably composed of iron and is troughfshaped, substantially as shown, to the end that water accumulating from melting ice or other cause may be conducted along the same to exit-ports, which are located at certain intervals. The cap-pieces E E are supportedin any suitable orwell-known manneras, for instance, by bolts or screwson the tops of the side walls C C, and are arranged a distance apart to form a narrow channel for 4usual and customary-manner.

Said pieces E E find support upon the side walls C C and extend over the inner chamber of the housing, thus forming a kind 0f twopart cap over said chamber of the housing.

receiving the arm 24 of an electric trolley.

Said pieces have top faces inclining rearwardly to shed and conduct liquid and other obstructions from entering the chamber of the housing. Said pieces are preferably composed of iron or other similar material to resist wear and tear of vehicles and other road travel. The railway-rails are supported on suitable bed-pieces H, formed of wood or other suitable material, and rest upon sleepers in the usual manner. set to butt against the side walls C C and prevent movement thereof outwardly, while at suitable intervals brace-bolts K are extended between the rail-supports H and side walls C C at or near the top edges thereof, respectively, to press and hold the same against movement laterallyfrom above. The space between said side walls C C and bed H is filled with stones or other suitable packing in the supplyconductor is supported within the chamber of the described inclosing housing by means of insulating-brackets composed of an inner core of metal M, having an outer insulating-coat n, whereby it is insulated from electric contact with or through the side walls C C, to which for supporting the conductor it is attached, Fig. l. It supports within a suitably-formed chamber at its top end, lined with insulating material, a ribbon-stud 8, which surrounds and supports the conductor, as shown.

Fig. 3 represents the means whereby two conductors are bridged to cross each other. To that end said means comprise four parts. Parts l and 5 are composed of cast or 0therwise-.formed conducting materials having sockets for receiving the ends of the supplyconductor, the two ends or main portions of said parts 4 and 5 being connected by the respective integral conducting-disks 1l 12. Said parts l 5 are also provided with trolley-supporting extensionsff. The part 6 is composed of hard rubber or other non-conducting material, and beinginterposed between the disks of parts 4 and 5, as shown, operates to separate and insulate said parts from each other. The

Said sleepers are The electric IOO part 7 is likewise composed .of rubber or other non-cond uctin gmaterial and is set beneath the trolley-supportin g extensions f, to the end that there may be no possible electric connection, inductively or otherwise, between the trolleysupporting extensions of the piece 4 and the contiguous metal of the piece 5. Said nonconductor 7 is extended upwardly between the ends of the trolley-supporting extensions 1o f f, to the end that electric contact between said parts may be avoided, and, further, to the end that the trolley may be supported momentarily on said non-conductor While passing from one to the other of the trolleyextensions f. v

The parts 4 and 5 areheld from movement by reason `of their connection with the conductor, and since the parts 6 7 are inserted between said parts 4 5 they will ibe 'prevented from-slipping out of position. y

The-ends of Ythe supply-conductor are supported in-asuitabl'e socket,'to that end formed in the parts 4'5, and are retained therein by means of screws 10. The housing whereby two vsupply-conductors .are 'inclosed at Ythe point of 'bridging of said conductors, as described, and the construction-of the railwayrails `and housing-'caps about the-conductor bridgments,is'fu1ly representedin Fig. 2. By reference Ato said Fig. 2 of 'the drawings it will be observed that the intersectingchambers of the supply-conductor hou-singsat 1thepoint of intersectionare covered'byangularcap-pieces, as S, to permit Vintersection of the trolley-arm groove, to therebyprovide'passage for the trolley in crossing. VIiikewiseit is noted that the said capsare grooved, as' at R, to permit passage for the car-wheels.

In operation it will be understood that the trolley-supporting mechanism hereinafter described is'provide'd with a suitable trolleywheel 0r other traveler -whichcontacts with and travels on 'the-supply-conductor and, extending upwardly through the opening between cap-pieces E E, has connection withthe car or'other vehicle'in a suitable manner.

The trolley-arm is provided with a non-conductingsleeve 15, (see Figs. land 5,) whereby it is'excluded from electrical contact with cappieces E E.

In Fig. 5 is represented a trolley-supporting mechanism which I have devised and use inconnection with a vehicle and electric railway of the construction hereinbefore described. Said trolley-supporting vmechanism comprises a jointed supporting-arm formed of two'members, one'of which 'members 2O is pivotally 'connected at yone end with the vehicle by meansof a fulcrum-stud,as,2l, and supportsin its 'opposite end, to turn loosely therein, the fulcrum-'stud 22, in which is'supported lthe other member 24 of the trolleyarm. In the opposite end of saidmember is Vjournaled a trolley-wheel 25. Said trolley- :wheel`25 is formed in two parts h h', one of said parts h having a screw-threaded tang h2 to fit a hole in the opposite member h.' Said tang constitutes the journal whereby said trolley-wheel is supported in the member 24 ot' the supporting-arm. (See Fig. 6.) Said trolley-arm, when used in connection with a railway of the construction herein described, is provided with an insulated sleeve l5, Figs. 1 and 5, to provide against electrical connection between said arm and cap-pieces E E of the conductor-supply housing. When used in connection with the conductor supported above the railway-track in the so-called overhead system, the said insulated sleeve may be dispensed with.

The fulcrum-stud 22 is inserted within a suitable socket for receiving the same inthe end of member '24, and a'catch-bolt 26 is provided, whereby-the member is dctachably held in connection withthe stud 22, all this to the end that the said member24 may be removed and inserted into another similar member and pivot-stud (not shown) at the opposite end of the car wheneverth'e vehicle is-moving in an opposite direction.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In an electric-railwaysystem,'a v supplyconductor, a slotted `inclosing housing n'comprising a bottom wall having 'upwardly-extending sides 'provided with horizontalI and vertical-flanges, vside walls resting'thereom'and a series of insulators supported "at intervals along said housing-in contact with the conductor for supporting the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the 'supply-conductor of an 'electric railway, -ot aninc'losing housing therefor composed of the wooden side walls C,fthe metallic trough-shaped bottom wall B, and 'cap-plates E, larranged with a space between them, 'substantially yasfdescribed. y p

3. vThe combination, with vthe supply-conductor of an electric railway, of vvan in'closing housing for the same, composed of l:th'eb'ottom B, having upwardly-extending sides, with horizontal'and vertical flanges onsa'id sides, separate Vertical side wallsfC,'restingthereon, and a two-part cap or Cown-substantially 'as described. l

4. In an electric railway, an electricsupply-conductor, an inclosing housing therefor formed with the bottom 4B, having upwardlyextending walls, with horizontal and `vertical flanges on said walls, and yseparate vertical side walls, as @,supported by thelanges,sub stantially as described.

5. 'In an electric railway, an electric supply-conductor, Aan inclosing housing therefor formed with bottom B, having yhorizontal `and vertical flanges a e, and separate side Walls C C, resting against the ii'anges, 'combined with trackways and "brace bars-or bolts K, substantially as described.

6. In an electric-railway system, asupplyconductor, an inclosing housing therefor, 'and aninsulating-bracket attached to the wall of the housing and comprising a metallic core,

IOO

IIO

an insulating-covering thereon, and a ribbonstud, as S, attached to the bracket and surrounding'and supporting the conductor, substantially as described.

7. In an electric railway, bridge-pieces, as 4 5, each comprising two main parts, to which the ends of conductors are secured, trolleysupporting extensions, as ff, electric connections between the two main parts of the bridge-pieces, and means for insulating the bridge-pieces from each other, substantially as described.

8. In an electric railway, the bridge-pieces 4 5, comprising two main parts, conductors secured to said main parts, disks of conducting material connecting the two main parts of each piece, a disk of insulating material between the conducting-disks, trolley-supporting extensions, as ff, upon the bridge-pieces, and a disk of insulating material beneath the trolley-supporting extensions, provided with a stud extending up to a level with the top of said trolley-supporting extensions, substantially as described.

9. In an electric railway, a movable vehicle, an electric supply-conductor, a trolley- .the opposite end of said irst member, so as to have horizontal movement and supporting at its outer end the trolley-wheel, substantially as described.

10. In an electric railway, a movable Vehicle, an electric supply-conductor, a trolleywheel and a support therefor comprising a horizontal member pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle, a fulcrum-stud 22, supportedinits opposite end, and a second pivo'red member having a socket in one end, within which is detachably secured said fulcrumstud and carrying the trolley-wheel, substantially as described. y

Signed at Lynn, Massachusetts, this 20th day of March, A. D. 1891.

VVILLIAM-C. GOSS.

/Vitnesses:

THEO. H. KELLAM, C. B.- TUTTLE. 

